GARDENING FOR GOOD

Andrew Chin's love for gardening has reshaped social norms in the area and inspired the community to cherish shared spaces, even in the form of a simple, unassuming walkway

- Lynette Ow

It’s 7am, and as the sun casts its glow on the leafy suburbs of Section 18 in Petaling Jaya, an octogenarian is already at work, his body close to the ground and hands gently caring for the petals of his beloved flowers. Retired teacher Andrew Chin is the green thumb behind this garden, but this isn’t just any garden—it’s a 75-metre stretch of public space that has been transformed into a lush walkway that the neighbourhood affectionately calls “Lavandrew Avenue” after Chin. 

“It all started in 2012,” Chin says of the verdant sidewalk he has cultivated, “I used to take walks along this sidewalk, and I’d see litter everywhere.” He’d make it a habit to clear litter during his walks until one day he discovered he could address two issues at once. “Soon, I realised the strip of grass along the sidewalk was ideal for gardening.”

After retiring in 2000 from his teaching career at SMK La Salle in Petaling Jaya, Chin found himself with ample time but limited space. His house, once a sanctuary for over 250 potted plants, had reached its capacity. So, with nothing more than a few tools, a deep sense of purpose, and RM8 for eight stalks of flowers, Chin set out to beautify one corner of the sidewalk. 

What began as a personal project soon blossomed into something much larger: a transformative change the neighbourhood hadn’t realised it was missing.